Last year, he ranked 158th on the PGA Tour in putting. The sight of him yipping putts in the final pairing with Tiger Woods at last year's British Open led to doubts that he would ever win a major.

But Garcia looked like a new man Thursday, thanks to his new best friend. Armed with a belly putter, he dropped virtually everything en route to a 65 at Carnoustie. At 6-under, he had a two-shot lead over Paul McGinley after the first round of the British Open.

Garcia's mood was decidedly different from the last time he played an opening round at Carnoustie. As a 19-year old in 1999, he walked off in tears after an 89 on a decidedly tougher track.

"Most improved," Garcia said of his 24-stroke gain.

Most improved also applies to his putting. About a month ago, Garcia decided he had to make a drastic change after missing the cut in the U.S. Open.

"There's nothing I hate more than not being able to start the putt on line," Garcia said. "Making putts is great, of course, but at least feel like you're hitting good putts. They're burning the edge and you know you have a chance. That keeps you going.

"When you start hitting the putt and as soon as you hit it you know it doesn't have a chance of going in, it's pretty frustrating."

Garcia had resisted going to the belly putter. Vijay Singh, who uses one, had been urging him to make the switch for more than a year. Garcia's father Victor, who is also his coach, has been using a belly putter for a year.

"He always told me just be open-minded, don't close yourself down, realize there are more options out there," Garcia said.

Garcia said he felt comfortable with the short putter, although he might have been a minority of one in that regard. Finally he decided to experiment with the belly putter, and immediately he saw the results. The beauty of the belly putter is lessening the impact of twitchy hands on the stroke.

"You can't imagine the number of good putts I hit on the front nine that didn't go in," Garcia said. "But all of them looked like they were going in, and that's the beautiful thing about it. That's what I love about putting."

That might be the first time anybody has heard Garcia talk about his love of putting.

Now one round doesn't necessarily count as a trend. He could revert quickly to his old troubles on the greens.

But at 27, Garcia desperately wants to begin reaching the high expectations set for him, and that means winning majors. He bristled when somebody told him that nobody had won a major using a belly putter.

"You shouldn't say that. That's no good," Garcia said. "You guys are always trying to find something. If I play like I played today, maybe that will change soon. It's just about getting the ball in the hole. If I have to use, I don't know, a plastic bag to get in the hole, I'll use whatever."

A plastic bag? If the belly putter doesn't work, that could be next on Garcia's list. *